Ah springtime, that time when you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. When you say, "Out with the North Face, in with the shorts." When you realize that our campus is really quite nice.
It’s easy to forget, when trudging through feet of snow and obscene wind tunnels of death, that we go to school in a beautiful location. Despite the aesthetically displeasing nature of Norris, we have an abundance of outdoor green spaces perfect for kicking back, hanging out and even studying.
You can only take advantage of these for so long each year, and therefore should utilize them for studying as much as possible. Besides, who really cares if you don’t finish your reading when you’re doing it out on the Lakefill?
Here are some warm weather study spots to check out this quarter:
Lakefill/Deering
These two spots are selling points of our admissions office for good reason. While you might have experienced the Lakefill for your first time only this past Saturday, you’re truly missing out if you don’t take advantage of its pristine beauty. With views of Chicago on sunny days enticing you towards your future, you’ll be sure to not only take in the sun but also be productive, hopefully. Deering, other than having a bunch of open green space, has a circular bench surrounded by trees directly to the south.
Sherman Avenue
A one-block stretch of Sherman Avenue is the host to Pret A Manger, Starbucks, Panera and the Unicorn Cafe. Most offer outdoor seating in good weather and are the perfect place to not only study but also see and be seen. The coffee is an added bonus.
Sorority Quads
The sorority quads, when it’s warm, are the perfect place to study. There are benches, green spaces and our school’s only real example of a quad, so you should definitely make a habit of hanging out there in the coming weeks.
For something out of the box, check out the one-two combination of the Bahá'í Temple and Gillson Park. Located about a mile north of Elder, the two practically beg you to spend a whole day in the area. Studying in the shadows of the Bahá’í, while guaranteeing your mind to wander elsewhere, is simply an extremely chill activity.
Just a tad north, Gillson Park is a hidden gem. Whether you want to lay out on the beach, field, or even an abandoned amphitheater, you’re guaranteed to make your homework more bearable.
For an awesomely productive day, you can even study hop between the two.
Spring Quarter, with its longer days and nicer weather, sincerely wants you to forget winter and move on. So kick back, relax, maybe study and enjoy the outdoors.